Improvement in feed-cutters



R. McCAlN. I Straw Cutter.

Patented Jan. 14, 1862.

LJ I entor.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT MCCAIN, OF ROOTSTOWN, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FEED-CUTTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,154, dated January 14, 1862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT MCCAIN, of Rootstown,in the county of Portageand State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Cutters; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and complete description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a top View. Fig. 2 is a side view. Fig. 3 is an end View. Fig. 4 is a vertical section. 1

The same letters of reference refer to like parts in the diiferent views.

My improvement relates to the sliding diagonal motion of the knife that can be operated by the foot in connection with the hand or by the hand alone; also, to the manner of feeding, as will be described.

In the figures, A is the frame of the machine, and A a cutter-box of the usual form.

13, Fig. 3, represents the knife secured to the bar 0, to which are attached the connectingrods D, E, and F, also the bent lever G, terminating in the handle H. The rod D and lever are connected to the upper part of the frame, and the other end of the rod F is attached to the foot-piece I. The rod E, by means of a slotted end, is connected to the end of the bar J, which regulates the length of the feed. The more the bar J is elevated by the pin I being placed under it the less the motion and the shorter the feed.

The rods D E F and lever in all their connections are movable, and are operated by the handle H and foot-piece I. When the knife is raised, the rods and lever are in the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, and in forcing it down by the handle H the foot may be placed on the piece I, which aids very much in overcoming the resistance.

K is a block extending down inside of the box close to the knife, secured to the arms L L, as shown in Fig. 1. These arms also support the roller M, and are connected to the sides of the box, as seen at L in Figs. 1 and 2. The front ends of the arms, with the block K and roller M, are raised to place the straw or feed under by the lifting-ring K in the piece K.

S is a bent wire secured to the arms, and, extending under the box A, aids in keeping them in place.

The roller H is turned by a ratchet-wheel M on one end of its axle and pawl P. (Shown in Fig. 2.)

N is another roller (shown in Fig. 4) in the lower part of the box A, supported by the frame and operated by the ratchet-wheel N and pawl R. (Seen in Fig. 2.) The pawls P and R are secured to the bar-piece J, and as that piece is raised by the motion of the knife the pawls are forced upward, turning the ratchet-wheels, which revolve the rollers, the roller M being turned toward the back end of the machine and the roller N toward the front, thus turning toward each other, and they are also provided with spurs a, which aid in carrying the feed forward.

Y is a tin box placed on the top of the box A with the bottom incliend downward toward the rollers for the purpose of conveying the broken or finer material to the knife. This box is detachable. As the knife moves in a diagonal direction, it will commence cutting at one end first, which is much easier than to begin cutting a broad stroke the whole length of the feed. The motion of the rollers being simultaneous with the motion of the knife, every time the knife is raised the rollers turn, forcing out the straw, which is cut off by the descent of the knife, the length of which can be regulated by adjusting the piece J, as before described.

What I claim as my improvement, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The detachable box Y, in combination with the feed and cutting apparatus, arranged and operating as and for the purpose set forth.

ROBERT MCCAIN.

Witnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, A. MCGLELLAND. 

